Al-Nassr, who have had a patchy start to the Saudi Premier League, sitting sixth with one win and two draws, are looking to make a good start to their continental campaign. However, they will have to face Al Shorta without their star player.
In a statement released on Sunday, the club provided an update on Ronaldo’s condition: “Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has been unwell today and has been diagnosed with a viral infection,” the statement read. “The team doctor has confirmed that he needs to rest and remain at home. As a result, he will not travel with the team to Iraq. We wish our captain a speedy recovery.”
In addition to Ronaldo, Al-Nassr has prominent players such as Aymeric Laporte, Sadio Mané and Marcelo Brozovic in its squad.
In recent days, Ronaldo has also been at the center of controversy due to an exchange of statements with former Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag. The Portuguese criticised the coach’s stance regarding the English club’s ambitions and stated that Manchester United needs to be rebuilt to compete for major titles.
